The Alternate Ending
by Isay
Summary: What happened to Jonas and Gabe afterwards?  How did that normal town survive near the Community?  Well, here's my version of their story...


The Alternate Ending  
a.k.a. My version of 'Chapter 24'.  
  
~*~  
  
Jonas was clutching Gabriel in his hands. They were both freezing. He could hardly feel Gabe moving.   
  
'At least he's still breathing,' Jonas thought to himself. He was on the brink of fainting.  
  
"We've finally reached elsewhere, Gabe.." he said.  
  
Someone was approaching him with a... what was the word for it? Jonas struggled to remember.  
  
Ah, yes. Lantern.  
  
He felt the person's warm arms embrace both him and Gabe before he finally fainted.  
  
~*~  
  
When Jonas regained consciousness, he saw that he was in a dimly lit room.  
  
'Colors everywhere!' he thought to himself.  
  
He saw something in the corner, giving off the light.  
  
Yes, he had a memory of this white stick once. What was the word for it?  
  
Candle.  
  
And he looked down, and saw he was lying on a red bed.  
  
'It's so easy to see colors!' he thought to himself.  
  
He heard something. People. Singing!   
  
Music was so pleasant. No wonder the Giver wanted to keep it all for himself.  
  
Then he realized something very important was missing.  
  
Gabe!  
  
Where was he!  
  
"Gabe! Where are you!!" he screamed out.  
  
A woman came rushing into the room.  
  
"Dearie, don't scream now," she said. "Are you looking for the baby? He is in the other room, well fed, warm, and fast asleep. No need to worry."  
  
Jonas heaved out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Is Gabe his name? Short for Gabriel, perhaps? That's a very nice name." she said with a smile.  
  
"My name is Mary. It's been a day since I found you out there in the snow. On Christmas Day too! Imagine! Your parents must be worried sick, and lonely too. You must get back to them as soon as possible. What's your name, dearie? Where are you from?" the lady asked.  
  
"I'm Jonas," he said sleepily. "And I'm from The Community."  
  
"You're from that horrid place??" the woman asked, horrified. "There are rumors here about that place. People say it's terrible there, where they have things like climate control, and they genetically remove colors! Terrible! How in the world did you escape?"  
  
Jonas told his story.  
  
"You poor dear! That must have been horrible!" she said, while giving him a hug.  
  
The experience of a real hug was just too much for Jonas. He cried, and hugged Mary back.  
  
"There, there now. You're safe." she said, 'til Jonas fell asleep again.  
  
~*~  
  
When Jonas woke up, right on the table beside his bed, there was a steaming hot bowl of...   
  
'Soup,' Jonas said to himself.  
  
It smelled delicious!  
  
He grabbed the spoon beside the bowl and hungrily drank it all in less than five minutes.  
  
The new sensation was wonderful. He could really taste the food! It was more real than any of the memories.  
  
Mary came into the room.  
  
"I see you're awake and hungry!" she said with a smile.  
  
"Thank you for the food," he said automatically.  
  
There was a... cart, right beside her, Jonas saw.  
  
She pushed it right beside his bed.  
  
"Look at him! So happy and healthy!" she said.  
  
"Gabe!" Jonas said, as he picked up the baby.  
  
Gabe was giggling happily. His cheeks were a healthy pink. And he was holding something which gave off a peculiar sound...  
  
"What's that he's holding?" Jonas asked Mary.  
  
"Why, it's a rattle of course! It's his Christmas Present!" Mary said. "Oh, and I almost forgot! Here's yours!" she said with a smile, as she gave him a colorfully wrapped package.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Open it, silly!" Mary said with a giggle.  
  
Jonas carefully peeled off the colorful wrapping. Inside was a curious object, painted bright red.   
  
"It's beautiful!" Jonas exclaimed.  
  
"It's a toy car, and it's yours," Mary said with a smile.  
  
~*~  
  
Jonas could stand and run around after three days of rest. His legs were badly bruised, and a bone was broken when he fell from the sled, but now he was alright.  
  
One day, he asked Mary, "How was your town able to exist?"  
  
Mary began her story.  
  
~*~  
  
This isn't the ending yet! The next chapter will cover Mary's story! ^_^ 


End file.
